happily ever after (is wherever you are)
by hollyhobbit101
Summary: Seamus grew up dreaming of fairy-tale princes and knights in shining armour. When he meets Dean Thomas, he begins to wonder if he might have just found his.


**A/N: For the Houses Competition. This is an AU in which the four Houses still exist, but each wizard's magic is a certain colour, which denotes a 'speciality' magic that they will be trained in at Hogwarts.**

 **House: Ravenclaw**

 **Category: Bonus**

 **Prompts: '...And they lived happily ever after', Seamus Finnigan, Sienna**

 **Word count: 1521**

* * *

As a child, Seamus loved to have stories read to him. His father's soft, lilting voice would wash over him as he sat, enthralled by tales of heroes and dragons and knights in shining armour. He would play games, chasing birds in the meadow, waving sticks as swords, pretending the birds were dragons and he was a mighty prince. His parents would watch him, smiling, although sometimes Seamus thought he saw sadness in his mother's eyes. But it was always gone as quickly as it had come, and Seamus was a child, so such things were easily forgotten.

He thought nothing, too, of the strange occurrences that surrounded his family. Like the way they always had fresh fruit and vegetables growing outside their house, even when they were out of season. Or how their crops were never bothered by insects when everyone else's were. These things seemed normal to him and, besides, he had princesses to save, monsters to defeat; plants didn't matter.

Seamus was seven when suddenly all of it had to matter. He was playing games with his father, when reddish-brown sparks shot out from the end of the stick he was holding and struck the ground by his father's feet. Seamus stared as leaves grew on his stick, and a small patch of daisies exploded out of the earth. He looked up to his father in confusion, but he wouldn't meet Seamus's eyes. Then his mother came rushing out of the house, and there was that look in her eyes again - sad and wistful at the same time. She took his hand and led him into the house, only glancing back at his father once.

Seamus learned about magic that day, and about the colours. Sienna, his mother called his, the same as his grandfather's. It meant earth magic, which was what Seamus would be tutored in at Hogwarts.

"You see, Seamus," his mother said. "Each witch and wizard has their own shade of magic. For centuries now, ours have always been shades of brown, which might not sound exciting, but we've done well for ourselves. Your da didn't want you to know any of this until you were older, but you'll be at school in a few years, and I think it's time, don't you?"

Seamus thought for a second, then nodded solemnly. "Will I be a wizard, like in the stories?" he asked eagerly.

His mother smiled and kissed his head. "Yes, love, exactly like that."

* * *

As he grew older, Seamus left behind the fairytales that had once excited him so. Instead, he preferred to sit outside and practise his magic, fascinated by the sienna-coloured sparks that would settle wherever he touched. His mother told him not to use his powers too often, but Seamus paid her little heed. He still didn't know if he wanted to be an earth wizard, but he supposed he had no choice, so he might as well use it while he could.

Eventually, the day came when Seamus had to leave for Hogwarts. His parents waved him off as he left on the train, his new wand and books safely stowed away in his case. It was the first time he'd been away on his own, but he was more excited than anything. Sparks fizzed between his fingers, and Seamus grinned. He was going to be a wizard.

* * *

As it turned out, he only had one class a day of earth magic; the rest of the time was split between his other subjects. Seamus had been sorted into Gryffindor house, along with a boy he'd met on the train, Dean Thomas. Dean had earth magic too, although his magic was a bright tawny, somehow softer than Seamus's. Whilst his magic sparked and popped, Dean's glowed and pulsed like a heartbeat. When Dean used his magic, he would concentrate so hard on what he was doing that it seemed like he had forgotten the rest of the world. Seamus loved to watch him work, and often became so distract that his own project would grow violently out of control. It lost him several house points, but Seamus thought it was worth it, if only to see Dean smile at him.

Their first year passed quickly, Seamus and Dean becoming fast friends. He learned that Dean was an amazing artist, and would often sit and watch him paint or draw in the common room. Seamus wondered if perhaps he should feel jealous, because Dean was talented in all the ways Seamus wasn't, but he could never bring himself to feel that way about his friend.

* * *

Dean almost left in second year, because of something in the pipes coming after Muggleborns, and if sapphire-coloured rune witch Hermione Granger couldn't stop it, what chance did Dean have?

Seamus worried for his friend, and couldn't help but be relieved when it was somebody else Petrified, rather than Dean. _Not Dean_ ; that was the important thing. Never Dean.

* * *

When the Dementors came in their third year, Seamus's magic started acting up. He'd shoot sparks randomly and, whilst sienna might not be the most conspicuous colour, it was certainly noticeable when people's food started growing roots at breakfast. Most of the time, it was just little things, so he could keep it quiet, but it wasn't long before it all exploded - quite literally. He flattened every project in his earth magic class and Professor Sprout gave him detention for a month, as well as making him stay behind after class to clean up.

It was late when he finally made his way back to Gryffindor Tower, and he was surprised to find Dean waiting up for him in the common room.

"Have fun?" Dean asked wryly.

Seamus scowled at him, but there was no heat behind it. "It's these damn Dementors, messing my magic up," he muttered bitterly, throwing himself into an armchair.

"I feel it too," Dean said quietly, causing Seamus to turn and stare at him.

"How do you stop it from, you know…" Seamus trailed off awkwardly.

"Exploding everything?" Dean laughed, then shrugged. "Dunno. I just sort of focus on something I care about, and forget about everything else."

"Huh," Seamus said.

The next day, he watched Dean as he worked, and remembered his advice from the previous night. He turned back to his own project, and concentrated, imagining Dean's voice, his smile, his laugh, the warm tawny glow of his magic. Sienna sparks ran down Seamus's fingers, and the seeds he'd been trying to grow bloomed perfectly. He searched out Dean's eyes, and heat burned in Seamus's chest at the sight of his grin.

* * *

There was a ball at Christmas in their fourth year. A part of Seamus was telling him to ask Dean to go, but he banished those thoughts, buried them deep. There was no way Dean would want to go with him, and Seamus didn't want to ruin the friendship they had. Friends was all the were, no matter what Seamus's heart told him whenever he was around Dean.

Seamus ended up going with Luna Lovegood. Her magic was a deep amethyst, and she specialised in astrological magic. Seamus didn't really understand what that meant, but, then again, he didn't really understand Luna either. She was nice enough, but she kept talking about Wrackspurts and Nargles, and eventually Seamus had to excuse himself. He felt a little guilty for leaving her, but she didn't seem to mind and, anyway, he had spied Dean sitting on one of the sofas, alone. He made his way over and collapsed into the seat, sighing heavily.

"No date?" he asked.

Dean shook his head. "Nah. What about you? I thought you were coming with Luna."

"I was. I did. But it's just… you know."

"A bit much?" Dean asked, cocking an eyebrow. "Yeah, she can be."

Seamus hummed in agreement, then a tense silence fell between them. Seamus twiddled his fingers absently, sparks flying up as he did. One flew up and smacked Dean on the nose, earning Seamus a disgruntled cry of protest. Seamus grinned and flicked another one in Dean's direction, laughing as it peppered Dean's face with sienna-coloured freckles, which flared briefly then melted into his dark skin.

Their eyes locked, and Seamus's laughter died away under the intensity of Dean's gaze. He cleared his throat, feeling a blush rising on his cheeks, but found himself unable to tear his eyes away. He desperately tried to think of something to say as the silence stretched on, but he was saved by Dean suddenly leaning forward and pressing their lips together. Seamus froze in shock, then melted into it, closing his eyes and tentatively bringing his hands up to rest on Dean's shoulders.

When they finally broke apart, Seamus noticed a tawny glow that had settled around them, punctuated with blazing sienna sparks. They smiled at each other and, in that moment, Seamus was suddenly reminded of the fairytales of his childhood. Perhaps there was no princesses, or dragons, or knights in shining armour, but this was their fairytale, and Seamus knew how it would end.

 _...And they lived happily ever after._

* * *

 **A/N: I hope you guys enjoyed that! Thank you for reading, and please leave a review if you have a moment!**


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